New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-03-14
AGAINST HIGH LICENSE.
DESPERATE WORK OF GIN-MILL KEEPERS
AND CORRUPTIONISTS
THE LOBBY BUsY-DEMoCRATs SOLID AGAINST THB
BILL-ArTITUDE OF THE PRoHIBITI0NIsTs
AND GROWTH OF THEIR VOTE

THE LOBBY BUsY-DEMocRATs SOLID AGAINST THB
BILL-ArrITUDE OF THE PRoHIBITIoNIsTs
AND GROWTH OF THEIR VOTE.
IRON THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT THE TRIBUxsJ
ALBANY Marcn 13 Will the liquor dealers be able
to bribe enough Assembymen to defeat the Crosby
NewYork and Brooklyn High License bill That is
the question Mr.. Crosby, Speaker Hustled, exSpeaker
Erwin and other friends of the now ask
ing themselves. They are asking it in view
of the work done here last week by tho
liquor-deaers and their agents in opposi-
tion to the bill. Two disreputabie lobbyists
seemed to have been employed to get votes against the
measure. They have had the assistance of sumo
notorious politicians from New-York who have in
fooence with certain OF the Assemblymen. Probably
the politicians referred to have taken contract to
defeat the bill The result Of this underground work
will be revealed the first in the Assembly
the bill. That will be taken probsbl, tho present
week, the bill is OF the first to be consd-
cred in general orders OF the Assembly. Mr.. Crosby
will seize the first moment Tuesday or Wednesday,
when the number of Assemblymen in attendance 10
usually the largest and call the measure from the
table.
When the measure is called up there will doubtless
he futter OF excitement in the back seats Of the
Assembly Chamber, where three distinguished oppo-
nents OF the High License bill Rave been seated the
past week. These men were Frederick +. Wheeler,
Patrick Fitzgerald president OF the State Wine, Ale
and Beer Dealers Association and Miles w. Gibbons,
secretary of the association. The acquaintance
OF the rural Republican members LAS especially been
sought by Mr. Fitzgerald and Mr.. Gibbons. No time
lost by them in overtures to the Democratic As
semblymen; they could be depended upon to vote
against the bill 1t looks now as if every Democratic
Assemblyman would vote against the BILL II was re-
ported that three Democrats, namely Assewblyman
Fitch. OF Queens County; Assemblyman Winnie, OF
Ulster County and Assemblynan Stevens OF Scho-
barrie County, would vote for the bill but as the tine
approac for acting the Dill they seem inclined to
Join their fellow Democrats in opposition to II. Why
will tho Democrats vote unanimously against the bill'
They will do because in the words OF one OF their
leaders, pass the bill would beat out the brains Of
the Prohibition panty. We cannot afford to kill that
party the of election for the Presidency"
They acknowledge that the Prohbitonists draw nine
tenths of their recruits from the Republican party.
Therefore it is for their interest to proong the lite OF
the Prohibition organization No bill must be passed
by the Legislature which Will please the temperance
Republicans and prevent them tom joining the Proh
bitionists. Assemblyman Ainsworth, OF Oswe2o
County, Republican member, said on Friday " Tho
Prohlbtioniss at least large proportion OF them
are not tor prohibition. They are simply temperance
Republicans no are dissatisfied with the Repubiean
party because it does not do something in the line OF
temperance legislation. They were angered by the
Republican Legislature passing the Shook bill and
the Mandamus bill last year. and several thousands OF
them went to the ProhibitionIsts. There arc
thousaod remaining OF temperance Republicans who
arc restive In the Republican party AMI are only
kept in 1t by their old Ove tor the party II we fa to
pass Mr. Crosby's High License DILL fear that We shall
see that many more of these men will vote the Prohi'
bition ticket Ii my speech to the caucus last Mon
day night warned my fellow Republicans OF tho
great danger the party in from thus loss OF votes
to the Prohibition party pointed oit that we bad
lost the State IN consequence the detection OF the
temperance Re puboans and that there was now great
danger Of our losing the Legislature s:S, .,a. al,
Frederick +. Wheeler, the Prohibition leader, esi-
IDENTIFY that the growth OF his party Is most ser
ously threatened by xr Crosbys BILL and hs watches
the debates on the with the keenes interest
The growth OF the party has indeed been remarkable
Ii was only In 1881 that the Prohibonisis first ran
State ticket. The Rev. stephen A. Merritt, OF New;
York their candidate for Secretary Of State received
4.445 votes. In 1882 they ran Professor A. A. Hop
kins. of Rochester, tor Governor Thousands OF Ne
pubcans who would not vote tor Folger and yet wonid
not vote Tor Democrat cast their votes tor Professor
Hopkins. They did not do this from any regard for
prohibition and therefore the vote was misleading 40
to the actual strength OF the movement at that time:
Professor Hopkins received 20, 1873 votes The next
year 1888, the actual growth OF the party was re-
vealed by Frederick f. Gates, their candidate tor SEQ
candidate for President, received 25.006 votes in
1854 From that time the party steadily gained In
numbers Henry Clay Bascom, their candidate tor
Governor in 1885 receiving 80, ,S67 votes Ex-JLdgo
Groo their candidate Tor Judge OF the Court OF Ap-
peals in 1856, received 49, 41+ Estimating that ous
OF ten ProhIbiti0nsts nine were formerly heouDicans
apparent that but tor the existence OF the Pro
bition party the Republicans would have elected Ire
Davenport as Governor in 1885. and Charles Daniels
as Judge in 1886 David Is. Hills plurality as ~ can
dldate Tor Soyerr In 1855 only 1874 aud the
Prohioitlonists cast stated 3O.s67 Politician:
estimate that Mr. Bascom received the votes OF t least
20 600 former Republicans. Judge P-ckham, tho
candidate for Judge OF the Court OF Ap
peals 1t is also apparent owed his election last tall to
the Prohibitonists His plurality was only I,sis,
and Groo. the Prohibition candidate, had 3oiI4
votes. a.,
Politicians especially Republican members of the
who are celebrating about their vote on
the High License bill would 10 we'll to look over the
figures showing the growth by counties OF the ronoi-
ton party in this State The vote OF the party gwen
below: